Free Don't Die Under the Apple Tree by Amy Patricia Meade Page B

three—that would earn you the cash you wanted?” Riordan grinned.
    â€œWell, yeah, I mean no, I ...”
    â€œWhat were the odds of either Finch or the second-shift foreman moving up?”
    â€œFinch might have. But not the second-shift guy. He’s too new.”
    â€œLeaving just one slot: Finch’s.”
    â€œHey, I know what you’re tryin’ to do, here. Look, I didn’t bump off Finch to get his job. I just did what any other guy would do. I got some work on the side and hoped that the third shift got added.”
    â€œA second job? Where?”
    â€œA pal of mine owns a warehouse nearby. I go after my shift and help sweep up.”
    â€œA janitor?”
    Del Vecchio moved his head from side to side as if mentally weighing the significance of this new job title. “Yeah ... I guess you could call it that.”
    â€œAnd it didn’t bother you that you had to get a second job cleaning up after people?”
    â€œWould I rather leave my shift here and go home to my family? Sure. But pushin’ a broom a few extra hours a day ain’t bad. There are worse ways to make a buck.”
    â€œSo, this job? Is that where you were after your shift last night?”
    â€œNo, as a matter of fact, I took last night off.”
    â€œOh? You just got the job. You could afford to take a night off?”
    â€œLike I said, my boss is a buddy.”
    â€œWhat time did you leave here?”
    â€œOh, didn’t I say? Delaney, Hansen, and me all left early. The guy we got to fill in for Keefe could only work till three and Finch couldn’t get anyone else till this mornin’. You can’t have a three-man rivet gang, so we all went home.”
    â€œAnd you were there all night? At home, I mean.”
    â€œYep, with the family.” Del Vecchio smugly grinned. “That’s why I asked for the night off. Didn’t make sense to come all the way back here.”
    â€œNo, I suppose it didn’t. Your, uh, family can vouch for you?”
    â€œSure they can.” Del Vecchio’s smile evaporated. “But I don’t know that I like the idea of you draggin’ them into this.”
    â€œI’m not ‘dragging’ them into anything. But if we need to corroborate your alibi—”
    â€œWhy would you need to do that?” He rose to his feet. “Finch’s murderer just walked outta here. Heck, she probably strolled right past you.”
    â€œOh, you mean Mrs. Keefe? Yes, she did just leave. But it’s funny, I didn’t think you had her pegged as the murderer.”
    â€œWhat? Why wouldn’t I? You heard what she did to Finch yesterday morning, didn’t ya?”
    â€œNaturally. What confuses me is when you hired her back, you made it sound like it was the other guys who thought she was guilty. You, on the other hand, seemed more sympathetic.”
    â€œYou ... you heard that? Don’t you need a warrant or writ or something before you can listen in on other people’s conversations?”
    â€œNot when those conversations take place in a wide open area in front of a men’s room door.”
    â€œOkay. All right. You got me. I gave Keefe her job back. What of it?”
    â€œAren’t you worried about the safety of your other employees?”
    â€œWell, I ...” Del Vecchio stammered. “Well, sure I am. But I figure she did what she did ’cause she was steamed at Finch. It’s not like she’s crazy or anything.”
    â€œNo? I’d say bashing a guy’s head in is pretty crazy.”
    â€œYeah, but she’s not gonna do it again.”
    â€œYou seem pretty certain.”
    â€œNo, it ... it was a question. She’s not gonna do it again, is she?”
    Riordan shrugged. “You tell me. You’re the one who put a possible murderer back on the payroll.”
    â€œHey, now! Look, I felt sorry for her, okay. That’s all. Her husband’s a